“If we don’t make these changes, we haven’t lived up to our responsibility as adults to the children of the city of Chicago,” Emanuel said in his first public statements since Thursday’s announcement. “And I did not run for office to shirk my responsibility.”

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Opponents protested outside of several schools on Friday, and the Chicago Teachers Union and other organizations are planning a march Wednesday in downtown Chicago.

Parent Yolanda Harris called the plan “unfair” and said she was starting to second-guess her decision to vote for Emanuel for mayor. Her four children attend Dumas Technology Academy, which is slated to be closed.

“It’s not to say (Emanuel) is a bad person, but I’m saying I don’t agree with a lot of the decisions he’s making,” said Harris, who protested outside the South Side school Friday with other parents. “He’s making big mistakes.”

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